A lot of products marketed toward curly hair really suck, for lack of a better word. They cost more than their straight hair cousins down the aisle, presumably for the brand’s hassle to label it for the curly hair “niche” market, and then do nothing more for your hair than dry it out and crunch it up. And women would curly hair would know. They are 3x more likely than those with straight hair to purchase products and on average, the curly community spend $1 billion annually on their products.
That’s a lot of money and it’s coming from your wallets and often, for products that don’t work merely because they were never truly designed for what curly hair really needs.
Of course, there are products out there that do work. And no, not all of them are cheap. If you are struggling to come up with your perfect DIY recipe or just have some extra cash that you want to spend on potentially finding a new holy grail product, these 5 products are community-approved and worth the splurge.
Splurge Worthy Products
DevaCurl Ultra Defining Gel
When it comes to definition, few products will get you the shine and curl that this defining gel does. Created to harden around your curls as they naturally dry, the gel creates a barrier between outside elements and your hair, allowing it to fully dry before it is exposed. Once your hair is dry, simply tip your head over and scrunch the crunch out. A light oil or leave-in conditioner helps sped up the process as well. As a bonus, the gel’s scent gets compliments all around.
What the community says:
“LOVE this gel. I used to use drugstore bought gel, which worked fine, but left my hair kinda flat and sometimes looked crunchy. After I use conditioner and a bit of mousse, i scrunch this into my hair and let it completely air dry. After I scrunch out my curls, they’re super soft with lots of volume, and they stay moisturized and defined. It’s the best I’ve found for my hair.” – Fernandezma, 3b
“I love this gel! I get great curl definition whenever I use this product and its also more moisturizing than most of the gels that I have tried. I’m also in love the the gummy bear type of smell that the Deva products have, its amazing!! At first, I was a little put off by the hardness of the gel when its drying but as soon as I scrunch my hair, the cast it broken, and my hair always looks great! I would definitely recommend this product to others.” – jcostantino, 2c
“I like that this gel really does dissolve instantly like it says. I may have used a bit too much, but the result was a really well defined bantu knot-out. There was absolutely no flaking and my hair did feel a little wiry and dry but that was most likely due to the fact that I failed to use a better moisturizer underneath the gel.” – Prispicacity, 4c
Wen Cleansing Conditioner
Cleansing conditioners are no longer a difficult to find product and even L’Oreal has a version you can pick up at the drugstore. But there is something about Wen’s cleasning conditioner that works above and beyond all others, including better known curly hair brands. First, the mint in the cleansing conditioner will increase blood flow to your scalp, help to promote hair growth. The mint smell in and of itself is perfect for helping you to wake up in the morning or destress after a full day’s work. The product itself, while you may need to use quite a bit of it (it is a bit low on slip”>, leaves your hair very soft and frizz-free.
What the community says:
“I have been using Wen for the last 2 years and I love it! I have waist length hair and part of that has to do with Wen. It smells amazing, gently cleanses, moisturizes and leaves great volume. It’s also a great leave-in conditioner. The only con is that its expensive and for it to work you have to use a lot of it. When you have really long hair like me… it goes quick… but I don’t care. I love it so much. To me its worth the money.” – QianaChristine, 2c
“I have been using wen about 6 months. I buy the gal size from shopping channel that’s only offered once a year. I use fig and I would not trade this product for any other and lord knows I have a basket full of product that I don’t use. To be able to comb thru my hair when wet with ease is worth the money I spend on the product. I suggest give up something like coffee everyday or anything to try this product. It is the best product on the market.” – Djohnson4, 4b
“I love love love this product. This is the Goldilocks of cleansers. Some thicker no-poos would weigh down my hair, some sulfate free latherers would dry it out. This one is JUST RIGHT. I love the tingly sensation from it as I normally have a itchy scalp and this seems to relieve it. This is my cleanser, my conditioner, and my leave in. Sometime is my hair is really dirty I will need a second wash, but overall I couldn’t be happier.” – Ariste, 3a
Karen’s Body Beautiful Heavenly Jojoba Hair Oil
It’s hard to justify spending a lot on an oil, at least in your head. But once you use an oil, the difference it makes in your hair and for your scalp is often a downright miracle. Jojoba oil is known in the community for being one of the best oiols out there (it actually mimics your natural sebum”>, and Karen’s Body Beuatiful has aced the jojoba oil recipe.Mixing jojoba with avocado, rose oil, coconut oil and carrot seed oil, this mixture is light-weight but packs a punch.
What the community says:
“This is a wonderful scalp/ hair oil. It makes my hair super soft, shiny and moisturized. I love it!” – kaw5234, 3b
“When I first poured it in my hand I thought it was water, it’s so light. I never seen oil that’s this light and not oily. I didn’t think it would do anything, but fortunately was wrong. I sealed KBB Ambrosia with it and ended up with very shiny, well defined, moisturized hair.” – blulight, 3b
“I got the egyptian musk scent and it’s the only scent I feel comfortable with out of all the ones I have tried so far. This hair oil is a great sealant for my thick 4b/4c coarse hair. It’s made my lazy days so much easier. When I want to refresh in the winter I just spritz some water on my hair and glide the oil through my hair, then bam. I’m good for half the day. Only thing I don’t like about this is that they changed the bottle so you ave to pour this stuff into your hands, and it can get a little messy if you’re not careful. Also, the price is a bit much. Will I be purchasing this again? Maybe. I’m going to try my hand at cocnut oil first before thinking about it. If it doesn’t work out then yeah, I’ll definitely repurchase… but only during a sale.” – curlyberry, 4b
Macadamia Natural Oil Deep Repair Masque
If you’re looking for a deep conditioner or hair masque that seriously moisturizes, this is it. This hair masque sets out to treat damaged hair and uses chamomile, argan, tea tree and macadamia oil to do it. Leaving those heavier, hydrating oils on your hair for about 30 minutes will produce some seriously moisturized curls, making it perfect for hair that is color treated or for anyone who uses heat tools often. This product does contain silicones, though, which typically do help to seal in moisture for very damaged hair. If you are trying to follow the curly girl method, though, this might not be for you.
What the community says:
“I was walking through Ulta looking for Biosilk and ran into this product. I bought the $4 trial packet and plan on buying the $28 jar. The smell is INCREDIBLE! I have a 3b/3c mix and the bounce, softness and moisture I got from this deep condish was AMAZING for it.” – fbliss6, 3c
“I have a mix between 4b and 4C hair. At first, I was skeptical of using this product because I have not heard many women with kinky using this product. However, I decided to buy it anyway just to try the product. After nearly two months, I have seen a difference in my hair. My hair is much more manageable, softer, and shinier. Although the directions say to leave the conditioner for 5-8 minutes (no heat required”>, I choose to put it in my hair for at least 30 minutes with a plastic cap on for extra moisture. All in all, I definitely recommend this product.” – redriver, 4c
“Love it! Super-hydrating, and it smells fantastic.” – Gretchen, 3a
Carol’s Daughter Rosemary Mint Clarifying Sulfate-Free Shampoo
When product build-up gets the best of you and you need a down to the scalp clean sans the sulfates, Carol’s Daughter has got your back. Using a similar mint formula to the Wen product (so it also will help to encourage hair growth”>, this shampoo will remove build-up and toxins without throwing you off of your curly hair products game (read: no sulfates”>.
What the community says:
“This product absolutely cleans all product build up from your hair and scalp. I only use this about every other month because it really strips the hair. My hair is dry, hard, and brittle after using this so a good conditioner is necessary. This shampoo gets out all the gels, puddings, pomades, and soufflés we use in our hair!” – Boo’ya Moon, 3b
“People always go in on the CD line. I found this shampoo stimulating and deep cleansing. Not drying at all and I have naturally dry hair.” – The Curly One, 3c
“Ive been searching for a shampoo that would remove build up and not leave my hair feeling stripped. This shampoo did the job. I LOVE IT!!!!” – yanizkalee, 4b
